The Geisha
by RetsuKaji
Summary: A young maiko in the Fire Nation learns that there is more to the Fire Lord than she thought when she is forced to entertain him in the hopes of selling her mizuage to him.
1. A Geisha

Okay, so this is my newest story.

It's in romance cause it will eventually be a romance story, but it's just sort of....there....now.

...Well...Enjoy!!

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My name is Maylin Gāo.

I am nineteen years old.

I live in the palace of the Fire Lord in the heart of the Fire Nation.

...But I did not always live there.

I am no princess. I am not a noble. I am a slave.

Taken from my home in the middle of the night.

_'Okasan!!'_

_'Yue Yan!!'_

Watching my mother struggle to come after me...and my father restraining her...forbidding her to chase after her quickly retreating and only daughter.

From the Poor house to the Palace. Forced to mimic the ways of a pretty doll. A stiff body, open ears, and silence.

Many seasons passed.

What was once hatred became quiet acceptance.

My father had sold me and I was slave to my new _Okasan. _Whatever she told me to do, I did without question.

During my tenth summer, _Okasan _came to me with new plans.

I was to be an escort. A geisha.

My time was to be sold to any man who would pay the price.

At first, refusal. Mistaking an geisha for a prostitute. But I soon learned that it was not our custom to sell our bodies, only our skill. And the escorts of the palace made good money, as well.

I could be one of those elegant women.

And so, I did.

Many months of pain and discipline. Years of schooling and practicing.

I was molded into the perfect woman. The woman every man wanted....but would never have.

I was Yue Yan Bao no longer. I am now Maylin Gāo. A geisha.

Though, in truth, I am not a full geisha. I am a simple _maiko_. But I am the only _maiko_ left. The only geisha left.

My older sister left the palace not long ago, too old to continue her work as a geisha. I am the leader now. And not even a full geisha. It's enough to make one's head spin.

For the last year, I have made quite a title for myself. A title I worked hard for. I have more clients than I can handle and I find myself running from engagement to engagement at times. Not the life I expected, but am most grateful for.

Now the time approaches when I will sell myself to the highest bidder and become a full geisha.

Naturally, I am hesitant about selling such a precious thing, but in the back of my mind, I had hopes for whom it might be. Men I would feel slightly more comfortable with, so to speak.

_Okasan_....has plans of her own.

She shoots for the heavens....by directing me toward the most important man in all of the Fire Nation.

Fire Lord Ozai.

But would a cruel man like Ozai take care of a fragile doll such as myself? Or would I be taken and cast aside with only my title to comfort me?

My conscious self knows I will be cast aside with my title of Geisha....but my heart....

My heart wishes for love.

A forbidden fruit.

--

That didn't turn out at all like I planned, but I do like it. It's confusing at times, I know.

Basically, she's telling you how her 'career' as a geisha started and where she's at now. Which is Maiko, soon to be Geisha.

And, yes, Memoirs of a Geisha was a HUGE inspiration for this story. 'Yue Yan' is sort of a mix of Hatsumomo and Sayuri. She has qualities of both.

It's a bit short, but the next chapters will be longer. I always do a shorter first chapter. Kinda to...rope people in, you know?

Hope you enjoyed!!!

Steal Maylin....**And I'll have your head for a trophy**


	2. A New Client

Chapter two of The Geisha

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"Maylin!"

"Maylin!!!!"

"MAYLIN!! Get up now!!"

Golden eyes fluttered open, then promptly shut as light flooded into the room.

"What is going on?"

"Maylin, you have a very important client tonight. He is taking you to a banquet with the Fire Lord himself."

Maylin sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. She moved to the floor and sat on her feet. By the position of the sun coming through her window, it had to be near noon, perhaps later. She yawned and let two younger servant girls brush through her hair.

Maylin was a reasonably tall young woman and far too beautiful than should be allowed by law or nature, as some men say. Her hair reached just passed her waist in length and was black in color. Her eyes were a golden honey color. Her skin was on the pale side due to her lack of proper sun. She was very skinny, but healthy.

Maylin looked to the older woman buzzing about the room.

"_Okasan_...Who is it? Who is the client?" Maylin asked, sleepiness still heavy in her voice.

"You will see soon enough, child," she said.

Shan was an older woman. Her black hair was streaked with small strips of gray and her eyes had the beginnings of wrinkles around them. Her eyes were golden as well, but were a tad bit darker than Maylin's honey gold.

Maylin hissed lightly at one of the servant girls when she pulled her hair too hard. The girl immediately moved away from her and left the brushing to the other.

"Do not be so harsh," Shan said, shaking a finger at her. Maylin merely dropped her eyes to the floor and sat still.

Maylin's hair was pulled and teased for over an hour. Hot oil was combed through her silky black locks to help it keep shape. It was wrapped in an elaborate bun around a few delicate trinkets. Her face was painted white and her lips red. Her eyes were accented with black lines, making the gold stand out more than ever.

Maylin was served lunch in her room. It consisted of nothing more than rice with a little brown sauce. She was used to light lunches like this. When she finished, her make-up was touched up, Shan cursing that they should have waited to paint her face.

She was wrapped in elegant robes of red and black. Her obi was silver. It stood out like a sore thumb, but then again, that was the point. She was used to wearing robes made such of fine silk, but she had never owned one. Truly owned one. She figured she never would.

After much pulling and clipping and painting, she was finally ready. The sun was beginning to set.

"Now, your client tonight is unlike the others. You are used to them being cold and rather..uninteresting," Shan said, rolling her eyes and smirking. Maylin smirked and let out a quiet giggle.

"But this one is fiery and arrogant. He may try to...touch you..Maylin," she said.

Maylin nodded in complete understanding. She had never experienced a man's desires, but she was always warned of them. Part of her wished she would get to escort someone who was young and handsome. Someone interesting. And part of her wished he would sneak away with her and tell her of his naughty pleasures. Of his love for her. And she would love him.

And then again, the other half of her knew this was impossible. She would be ruined. Cast back to the streets to live like a peasant.

She didn't want that. She wanted to live comfortably. To achieve that, she would have to forbid herself to taste that forbidden fruit. She would never let herself experience love. She couldn't.

"Maylin, pay attention. When you go to him, look him in the face, but do not look directly into his eyes. Focus your attention on the bridge of his nose. He will think you are looking at his eyes. You will earn his respect," she said, brushing her robes with her hands. She was checking for wrinkles.

"_Okasan_...who is he?" she asked.

"He has paid a pretty penny to have you on his arm tonight," she said.

"But..who? _Okasan_?" she asked. Maylin's heart burned with anticipation.

"Commander Zhao," Shan said, looking away with a small smile.

"Commander _who!?_" Maylin yelled, her eyes growing wide.

Without another word, Shan grabbed her hand and slammed a fan into it. Her purse was forced into her free hand. She was then pushed from her room.

Shan led her down the winding halls. She tried to speak several times, but Shan snipped each time, making her bite her tongue.

Soon enough, Maylin stood at the top of the stairs, above the grand dining hall. Many gathered at the bottom, talking, laughing. Maylin's heart thundered in her chest. Shan was hiding just around the corner. Out of the guests' sight. Maylin tucked herself away with Shan, taking one last calming breath.

"Go now. Be brave," Shan said, placing a curled finger under her chin. She raised it slightly and smiled.

"Yes, _Okasan_," she said.

Maylin moved to the stairs and slowly began to descend them. She watched ahead of her, instead of down at her feet. She feared she would fall. To fall down the stairs in front of such a large crowd would permanently damage her. In their eyes and her own. Her grace, though, was undamaged. She reached the bottom the stairs. On her feet and smiling. She dropped her thick robes at her feet and took a few graceful steps forward.

She pretended not to hear, but she heard several men and women comment her beauty and grace. She felt her self-pride grow.

"My, my, my. You must be...Maylin Gāo," she heard.

Maylin turned to see a tall, surprisingly handsome man. He looked aged, but in a good way. His brown hair was tied tightly in a top knot. His sideburns attracted her eyes almost immediately. They were large, almost comical, but Maylin never faltered. If she had, she could anger him and who knew where she would end up if she did that. His eyes were a brilliant gold and he wore an arrogant smirk on his lips. He wore the wardrobe of an Naval Commander, as that was what he was. She figured she would be hearing countless boring stories of his conquests on the seas. She didn't look forward to that, but perhaps it wouldn't be such a terrible evening.

She took his arm and waited for the Fire Lord and his family to arrive. Once they were inside and seated, the rest of the guests could file in after them.

--

Maylin was seated closer to the Royal Family than she ever had been before as she ate. She found herself quietly fussing over her manners in her mind. She would remind herself of things she already knew and things she must remember. On the outside, she looked calm and collected. She responded almost instantly to any questions asked and she laughed politely where appropriate.

The Commander was a wonderful person to make conversation with, surprisingly. While during most of the conversation, he boasted about himself, there was the occasional time where he asked of her. He asked where she had come from, but she politely declined telling him the truth. She couldn't reveal her secrets.

"Surely you can tell one man your secrets," he said, smirking. She smirked as well as she filled his glass full of the clear, sweet smelling alcohol once more.

"One man becomes two. Two becomes three. Until everyone knows-"

"That you were once a worthless commoner?" she heard the Princess pipe up.

Princess Azula and herself never got along. Maylin did her best not to look or speak to the Princess as much as possible.

"Azula, that is enough," her father said. Maylin wanted to smirk, but she feared what Azula's temper would be like after that. She merely turned her attention back to Zhao.

"I hardly doubt that," he said, smiling at her. He offered her his cup once more.

"Goodness, Commander. If you continue to consume alcohol at the rate you are, I fear you will pass out before the night is over," she said, smiling sweetly at him as she picked up a tea pot near her. She poured him a cup of tea and offered it to him instead.

He looked to the cup, then back to her, raising an eyebrow. His smirk widened.

"You expect me to switch from my favorite drink to a plain tea?" he asked.

"Of course. You never know how loose a man's tongue will get. And I'd imagine you wouldn't want it too loose in such company, Commander," Maylin purred.

After a long moment, Zhao put down the small cup and took the tea cup from her. He sipped it slowly and turned his attention to the Fire Lord. Maylin turned her attention to the Prince, whom had asked her a question. She faltered when answering him when she felt Zhao's hand slid onto her thigh. He gripped it tightly and gave her leg a small stroke. His hand settled once more and gripped her leg tightly. She looked down to his hand, then to him.

Her heart thundered in her chest. She didn't want to push it away and risk him causing a scene, so she allowed his hand to remain. It was probably the alcohol, ruining his ability to guide his own actions. If he tried to advance, she would push him away.

But could she? Did she have the strength?

After the elegant dinner, Zhao offered to walk Maylin back to her room. She did not refuse. She couldn't.

He was silent as they walked and Maylin feared what would happen. Once they reached the wing of the castle she stayed in, he stopped. He turned to face her and took her hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it. She felt his tongue touch her hand briefly and her stomach dropped.

"I hope to see you again soon, Maylin. Your company was...delightful," he purred.

"As was yours, Commander. I am very glad you chose me to escort you this evening," she said sweetly.

As she gazed into his golden eyes, she feared what his next move would be. He stared down at her for a long moment before finally brushing the back of his fingers against her cheek and heading off.

Maylin watched him go for a moment, then hurried down the hall to her room. Shan was waiting for her. She told her of the night, but she didn't tell her of Zhao's exploration of her leg. She didn't want to worry Shan. She could handle herself.

At least she hoped she could.

--

Chapter two! Omg, after almost a year.

TwT. Sorry this took so long. I posted the story and lost interest. But I was watching MoaG and I forced myself to keep going. I will post this more often now. I promise!

I'll correct any mistakes I've missed tomorrow. I need sleep


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